Marycela Diaz
Director, Regional Executive Information Network
Miami Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Marycela Diaz is the regional economic information network (REIN) Director at the Miami Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. She is primarily responsible for gathering and analyzing economic intelligence, bringing local business insights to national policy deliberations. Marycela leads the marketing strategy for REIN, formulates the beige book entry for the tourism and retail sectors and serves as the secretary of the Miami Board of Directors.
Prior to joining the Fed in September 2008, Marycela was the marketing director for a local commercial bank and she taught marketing and banking courses at Carlos Albizu University and Miami Dade College. Marycela earned her MBA with a concentration in finance from Nova Southeastern University and a master’s in public administration from Strayer University.
Buff Dormeier, CMT
Partner and Chief Technical Analyst, Kingsview Partners
Buff Dormeier, CMT® provides four important roles to our clientele that of a financial advisor, consultant, analyst, and a portfolio manager. Armed with proprietary indicators and investment programs, Buff dynamically advises affluent and institutional clientele on strategies to help meet their specific investment objectives in what are often uncertain investment climates. As an advisor, Buff has been named a “Best in State Wealth Advisor” by Forbes*. As an analyst in 2007, Buff’s technical research was awarded the Charles H. Dow Award**, distinguishing him as the only financial advisor to thus far win the Award. The Charles H. Dow Award is considered one of the most important recognitions in the field of technical analysis. As an accomplished portfolio manager applying advanced technical/quant analysis, some simply refer to Buff as “the geek”.
However, Buff considers himself to be an evangelist of sorts. He enjoys sharing his investment theories as a foremost expert on volume analysis presenting at international conferences such as TradeStation’s World Conference, Latin America’s Portfolio Manager’s Conference, and the World Money Show.
An award-winning author (2012’s Technical Analyst Book of the Year / Trader Planet’s Top Book Resource 2011), Buff literally wrote the book on “Investing with Volume Analysis” partnering with the Financial Times Press, Pearson Publishing and the Wharton School. Buff’s research has been further featured with press partners including Barron’s, Stock’s & Commodities, Futures and Active Trader magazines, The Financial Times, C-NBC, Market Watch as well as a variety of technical journals. Buff is featured in “Technical Analysis and Behavior Finance in Fund Management” – a European book comprised of interviews with 21 esteemed portfolio managers.
Buff is a former Fort Wayne / Indiana Marathon champion. Although his competitive distance training is on hold, Buff still enjoys a good long run on occasion. Buff is a member of the Chartered Market Technicians Association and Emmanuel Community Church. He is married to his beloved bride Kathy, father of two adored children Hadassah and Kaleo, and best friend to his Rhodesian Ridgeback Dutch.
Rob Langrick, CFA, CIPM
General Manager of the CFA Program
Rob Langrick, CFA, CIPM, is General Manager of the CFA Program based out of the New York office. He was previously Head of Practice Analysis, overseeing annual curriculum updates to the CFA Program. Before joining CFA Institute, he lead Bloomberg’s finance education division where he built and launched Bloomberg’s certification product. He began his career as a sell-side equity research analyst in London and after earning his MBA from Dartmouth worked in the private equity diligence unit of Bain & Company in New York.
Dr. Mahmoud M. Haddad
Professor of Finance at The University of Tennessee at Martin
Dr. Haddad received a B.A. and M.B.A. in Accounting from Minnesota State University, and a Ph.D. in Finance from The University of Alabama. He has taught finance at Wayne State University, The University of Tennessee at Martin, University of Alabama, Arab American University-Jenin, American University of Armenia, American University of Beirut, Al-Quds University, Eastern Michigan University and Minnesota State University. He is also certified in e-teaching and learning, and he has broad experience in distance and online teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Haddad has published over 30 papers which have been published in leading refereed journals.
Dr. Haddad was the Financial and Accounting Manager at the American Family Insurance Co., the Executive Director of Research at the Palestinian Monetary Authority, the Vice President for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Dean of College of Business and Financial Sciences at Arab American University, and a Research Scholar and Head of Economic and Social Studies Division at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. He is the co-director of the UT Martin Tennessee Valley Authority Investment Challenge program and a UDAID Visiting Scholar. The Board of Trustees of the Economic Research Forum of the Arab Countries, Iran, and Turkey awarded Dr. Haddad a life membership as an ERF Research Fellow.
Ronald Mushock, CFA
Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University | MBA, CFA
With over 25 years of experience in portfolio management and equity research, I am passionate about teaching and learning. As a Professor of Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University, I leverage my analytical skills and industry knowledge to deliver real-world money management experience to my Student Managed Investment Fund class. I hold a CFA designation, an MBA from New York University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Seton Hall University. Prior to joining FGCU, I was a Portfolio Manager and Managing Partner at Systematic Financial Management, where I managed over $8 billion in assets in Mid and Smid Cap Value equity portfolios for some of the world’s largest institutional investors. I also worked as an Equity Analyst at Standard & Poor's Equity Research, where I provided in-depth research and recommendations on publicly traded companies.
Dr. Tarek Zaher
SMIFC Managing Director & Co-founder, SMIFC South Corporation- President
Professor of Finance, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
Dr. Zaher is the Managing Director & Co-founder of SMIFC, and president of SMIFC South Corporation. Dr. Zaher has held a number of academic and professional positions with the industry. He is currently Professor of Finance at Scott College of Business, Indiana State University. He also provided consulting services to a number of international institutions including the World Bank, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, and the Academy for Educational Development in the United States and the Ministry of Work in Dubai. He has also offered a number of seminars in investment and international financial management at a number of institutions around the world.
Dr. Zaher is Advisor of the Investment Club at Indiana State University. He also manages and supervises other international portfolios for individuals and institutions. Dr. Zaher’s research has been published in numerous prestigious professional and scholarly journals, including the Journal of Financial Research and Journal of Banking and Finance. Dr. Zaher received three research awards from professional conferences and one research certificate of excellence. He was also recognized by the Scott College of Business as the winner of the faculty research award in 2002 and the winner of the exemplary service award in 2004, and received "Under the Buttonwood" award in 2018 for my role in growing the SMIF consortium.
Brian R. Bruce
Chair, Board of Director at The Center for Investment Research
Brian is Chair, Board of Director at The Center for Investment Research.
Brian was previously a CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Hillcrest Asset Management, an institutional equity management firm based in Dallas. He was also an adjunct professor at Baylor University.
Brian received his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, M.S. in Computer Science from DuPaul University, and a B.S. in Business Administration from Illinois State University. He is a member of the Illinois State University College of Business Hall of Fame and is winner of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business CEO Award.
Brian has published numerous scholarly articles and books including Analysts, Lies, and Statistics which he co-authored with Harvard Business School professor Mark Bradshaw. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Institutional Investor’s Journal of Investing, Editor of the Journal of Behavioral Finance and Editor of the Journal of Trading. Brian frequently appears in the media including NBC, ABC, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Washington Post, New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, Financial Times, and Business Week. He was awarded the SMU Cox Media Expert of the Year Award in 2008. Brian also serves on many boards of directors, including The Center for Investment Research, the Dreman Family of Mutual Funds, the CM Family of Mutual Funds and the Institute of Behavioral Finance.
Jose Torres
Senior Economist at Interactive Brokers
Jose Torres is the Senior Economist at Interactive Brokers. In this capacity, he is responsible for economic analysis, economic commentary and educational content focused on the economy. Prior to joining Interactive Brokers, José spent 6 years working as an economist in the United States government within the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). During his time with the U.S. government, José frequently led presentations covering economic conditions and forecasts for elected officials, political appointees and senior management. He also built economic models, consulted with private sector executives, contributed to the modernization of economic processes and gained recognition for predicting the inflationary episode of the 2020s. José has also been a professor of economics at the City University of New York and holds a master’s degree in financial economics from West Texas A&M University. His skillset includes the ability to communicate and analyze complex economic topics in English and in Spanish and throughout his career, he has been interviewed by media outlets including Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, WSJ, AP, Yahoo Finance, Cheddar, Business Insider, Seeking Alpha, PBS, FOX, Economic Times, Univision, Telemundo and others.
Scott D. Stewart, PhD, CFA
Clinical Professor of Finance and Accounting
Dr. Stewart has been an investment practitioner and educator for more than 30 years. He currently serves as Clinical Professor of Finance and Accounting and Faculty Co-Director of the Parker Center for Investment Research at the SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University. He conducts academic research in finance and education, and remains active in investment management. He is coauthor of Portfolio Management: Theory and Practice (Wiley, 2019) and author of Manager Selection (CFA Research Foundation, 2013). Prior to his academic career, Dr. Stewart was a portfolio manager of global long and long-short equity, fixed-income, derivative, and asset allocation strategies. His investment career included 14 years at Fidelity Investments, where he was founder and equity group leader of the $45 billion Structured Investments Group, and senior adviser to Equity Research. He also managed portfolios at State Street Bank Asset Management Division (now State Street Global Advisors).
Alaa Abu Mallouh
Assistant Professor of Finance at Saint Francis University
Alaa Abu Mallouh is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Saint Francis University, specializing in empirical corporate finance. Alaa holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and two Master's degrees in Finance and Accounting. A dedicated academic and researcher, Alaa has taught courses in finance, economics, and business statistics, with a strong commitment to fostering a deep understanding of financial concepts and their real-world applications among students.
Alaa is actively involved in the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), where they gain practical experience in portfolio management, risk assessment, and investment decision-making. In this role, Alaa collaborates with students to analyze market trends, evaluate investment opportunities, and manage a diversified investment portfolio. This hands-on experience not only deepens their understanding of financial markets but also enhances their ability to make informed investment decisions. Through SMIF, Alaa helps students develop critical skills in financial analysis, decision-making, and portfolio management, preparing them for successful careers in finance.
Denis Ward
Student at Florida gulf Cost University
He is a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) majoring in Financial Analysis & Management with a minor in Economics. He currently serves as an analyst for the FGCU Eagle Fund, where he covers the Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary sectors. Denis has gained industry experience through roles at a Manhattan-based hedge fund and a private wealth management firm in Pittsburgh, and he will continue building his investment management experience with a Summer 2026 internship at NewEdge Wealth in Connecticut. In addition to his analytical work, Denis is an active student leader, serving as Vice President of the FGCU Finance Club and as a member of the CFA Society of Naples.
Ashley Fearday
Finance Student at Florida gulf Cost University
She is a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), double majoring in Finance and Quantitative Economics. She conducts research for the Regional Economic Research Institute (RERI) and serves as an analyst for FGCU’s Eagle Fund, where she covers the Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary sectors. Ashley recently passed the CFA Level I examination and is an active member of the CFA Society Naples. She has previously interned at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and will be joining J.P. Morgan Private Bank for an upcoming internship.
Nainil Mukesh Jariwala
Student at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Nainil Mukesh Jariwala is a senior at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse pursuing a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Business Analytics and Accounting. Nainil currently serves as a Research Analyst Intern for the Gordon Spellman Fund, where he developed the Institutional Money Flow Index, a proprietary Fundamental D-Score, and launched the UWL Financial Times to enhance research dissemination and market insight. His prior experience includes internships at Stifel Financial Corp., the Idea Fund of La Crosse (venture capital), and the La Crosse Community Foundation, where he supported investment analysis, M&A deal flow, and financial analytics initiatives. In addition to finance, Nainil conducts behavioral economics research examining cross-ethnic decision-making patterns, and consumer psychology research focused on framing and priming effects. Beyond his professional work, Nainil is an active campus leader, serving as a College of Business Administration Senator and previously as President of the International Student Organization. At SMIFC South, he will share how his research, the Gordon Spellman Fund’s operations, and its portfolio strategy work together.